Word to the Wise
Saturday, August 24, 2013 - Aug. 24 - St. Bartholomew, Apostle
[Rev 21:9b-14 and John 1:45-51]The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. [Revelation]
Well? Which name appears on the brick? Nathaniel or Bartholomew? It's anybody's guess! I'm opting for "Nathaniel" because the scriptures today are from the "Johannine" tradition and it is the Gospel of John that mentions Nathaniel and not Bartholomew. What's more, Nathaniel is the one who makes the wonderfully small town statement, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Nathaniel [Bartholomew] disappears from view after this brief appearance [other than being mentioned elsewhere in the list of names]. Tradition holds that all the apostles except John were martyred. If that is the case, Nathaniel answered his question with his own life. Something good did come from Nazareth - someone worth following and dying for! It has to be "Nathaniel" on that brick! AMEN
Well? Which name appears on the brick? Nathaniel or Bartholomew? It's anybody's guess! I'm opting for "Nathaniel" because the scriptures today are from the "Johannine" tradition and it is the Gospel of John that mentions Nathaniel and not Bartholomew. What's more, Nathaniel is the one who makes the wonderfully small town statement, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Nathaniel [Bartholomew] disappears from view after this brief appearance [other than being mentioned elsewhere in the list of names]. Tradition holds that all the apostles except John were martyred. If that is the case, Nathaniel answered his question with his own life. Something good did come from Nazareth - someone worth following and dying for! It has to be "Nathaniel" on that brick! AMEN